The subject matter described herein relates generally to operation of a wind turbine and, more specifically, to extracting inertial energy from a wind turbine after a wind turbine curtailment is released.
Wind turbines utilize wind energy to produce electrical power. Wind turbines typically include a rotor having multiple blades that transform wind energy into rotational motion of a drive shaft, which in turn is utilized to drive a rotor of an electrical generator to produce electrical power. A plurality of wind turbines may be grouped together, sometimes referred to as a “wind farm.”
In order to mitigate issues associated with turbine loading, delivery of power to the grid, and/or certain planning conditions (e.g., planned maintenance activities), the power output by some or all of the turbines within a wind farm may need to be reduced, also referred to as a “wind turbine curtailment.” During a wind turbine curtailment, a level of power generated by the turbine is controlled (i.e., reduced to a curtailment level). Typically, during a wind turbine curtailment, a pitch angle of the rotor blades is adjusted to slow rotation of the rotor, which reduces the power output by the wind turbine. For example, during a wind turbine curtailment, the wind turbine may be configured to deliver forty-percent (40%) of a maximum level of electrical power able to be produced by the wind turbine. During a wind turbine curtailment, wind speeds may be such that it would be possible to produce the maximum level of electrical power able to be produced by the wind turbine, however, less power is generated for other reasons. In other words, aerodynamic energy present in the wind is purposefully not captured, and therefore, is wasted.